Automatic cylinder trip for printing presses



Feb. 2, 1932. E. o. vANDERcooK ET AL 1,843,254

I AUTOMATIC CYLINDER TRIP FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 1. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l @www Feb. 2, 1932. E. o. vANDERcooK ET Al. l 1,843,254

AUTOMATIC CYLINDER TRIP FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 1, 1931 s sheets-sheet :2

Feb. 2 1932. E. o. vANDERcooK ET AL 1,843,254

AUTOMATIC CYLINDER TRI/P FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 1, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 @MZJM W Patented Feb. 2, 1932 `rrr!) STA OoFFicl:

nDWARDo. vANDERoooK, DAVID D. vANDERoooII, AND FREDERICK RfvANDRRcooK, or nvANsToN, ILLINOIS; AssIeNoRs- To vANDnRcooK AND soNs, or cnroAeo, ILLINOIS, A oorAR'rNERsIIIP coIvIPosRD or ROBERT o., EDWARD o., DAVID D., AND

I FREDERICK R. vANDnRoooK AUroMAfI'Ic-.CYLINDER'IRID FOR PRINTING :PRESSES4V Application mea June 1, 1931.v serial No. 541,209.

Our invention relates to improved cylinder trip mechanism particularly useful in connection with proof presses for automatically raising the printing cylinder to clear it from the type or other set up during the r-eturn of its supporting carriage after a printing operation. v

An important objectief the invention is to providea single means in the form'of a cam bar for cooperating with the cylinder bearing frames to raise or lower said frames at the proper time.

. vAnother important object is to provide imwhich drawingsv proved and simplified tripping'means for controlling the 'shift of @the cam =bar at the proper time and thereby the elevation of the printing cylinder. i Still another object is to .provide ad`ditional tripping means for allowing shorter travel of the cylinder carriage whenv shorter Vsheets are to be printed,` thereby` saving time and'labor. .e The alcove referred to features and other features of our invention are incorporated in the structure disclosed on the drawings, in

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a proof press to which our invention is appli-ed;l f Figure 2is a re'an elevation of the press ;v Figure 3 is a section Aon plane III-III of Figure 2; I Y

Figure 4 is a` section on plane IV-ll of Figure 3; and'v Figure 5 is a plan view of aside section of the Y machine showing theV arrangement of the tripping element and the cooperation of the cam bar therewith.

l. The press structure shown comprises aKL rectangular bed frame 1 having on each side a track flange 2 andpabove it a gear rack .3. The cylinder supporting carriage. comprises the side frames 4 andl 5 connected yby cross rods 6, each sideframe journalling a set of Wheels 7 engaging. the respective rail flange 2.

The printing cylinder 8 ismounted on a shaft -9 which is journalle'd'at 'itsifendsin bearing frames 10 Aand 10, theseY bearing frames being pivotedforhinged Vat their Yleft ends to the-carriage frames4 and 5 respectively Vas indicated at 11 and11.,' the bearing frames at their right'ends being supported by a cam bar. 12 whichV will be ref-erred to more in detail hereinafter. V Y

A gear 13 is' secured to eachendv of the printing cylinder andmeshes withthe corresponding rack 3 so that when the cylinder is turned by means of the crank handle 4 on the front end of its supporting shaft, the gears will travel along the racks't'o propel the cylinder carriage along the machine bed frame in a manner wellL understood in the art.

i* A cross bar 15 'm-eshingbetween the left ends of the carriage frames 4 and 5 supports ak feed apron or board 16 on which sheets to be printed are fed into proper position rela# tive to the printing cylinder.` Brackets 17 land '17 on the. right ends of the carriage frames supportside barslS- and 18 which 'serveto support the framework for the inking rolls, one of such rolls19, being diagrammatically indicated,fit beingl understood that asuitable inling plate vis provided for the rolls which rolls are carried across the type or other setup to apply ink thereto during the'opera'tionof the machine. f

The tripper Vor cam bar 12 is preferably` of steel and of rectangular cross lsection.Y VIt extends transversely across the'machine and isV guided at its ends in the rectangular openings 20 and 21 provided in 'the carriage framesl 4 and '5i respectively'. TheEV sections ofthe frames-4 and 5 above the" guide pas? sageways may bein the form. of removable plates 21 and,2l for facilitating removal of thecambar. y H

As best shown in Figuresv 3 and 4i each of the cylinder yjournalling frames lOand 10 has its rightuppercorner out away to leave a rectangular lrecess providing a'horizontal cam surface22 and a vertical wall-23.. The cam bar 12 engages atits underside with the cam surface22 and above the cam surface Veach frame has Va cam roller V24 journalled yadjacent to the vertical surface 23 by-a suit'- able lpin 25, these" cam rollers engaging with the upper side of the cam bar 12. In its upper 'side the cam barhasthe.; depressions or notches 26v for1 receiving theY rollers 24` andYV in its underside and to the right of the notches 26 the cam bar has the depressions or notches 27, these notches being adapted to receive the ends 28 of the frames 10 and 10 for engagement of the cam surfaces 22 with the bar. The relative location of the depressions 26 and 27 is such that when the bar is in one position as shown in Figure 3 the cam rollers will be in the notches 26 and the Cain surfaces 22 will be in engagement with the straight underside of the cam bar, and when the bar is shifted to the left from the position shown in Figure 3 the cam rollers will engage with the top side of the cam bar and the ends 28 of the frames 10 and 10 will be in the notches 27, longitudinal shift of the cam bar thus elevating and lowering the right ends of the frames 10 and 11 to swing such frames around the pivotal supports 11 and 11 and thereby elevate the printing cylinder above the type or other set up on the press bed or to lower the cylinder for printing cooperation with the type or other set up to be printed.

Describing now the means for shifting the cam bar 12, the cam bar at its rear end has a link 29 pivoted thereto which extends inwardly thereof and is pivoted at its inner end to an arm 30 extending from the upper end of a vertical shaft 31 which is journalled on the carriage frame 5 as clearly shown in Figure 2. At its lower end the shaft has the arm 32 extending therefrom in a direction opposite to that of the arm 30, and at its end the arm 32 journals a roller 33 for cooperating with the tripping or switch structures loc-ated in the path thereof.

We have shown the end tripping or switch structures A and B, and in accordance with our invention we provide an additional or intermediate switch structure C for cooperating with the roller 33 to swing the arm 32 and rotate shaft 31 for shifting of the cam bar 12.

The switch structure A is located at the ink plate end of the press Vbed and the switch structure B is locatedat the other end, the switch structure C being between the two. The switch structure A comprises a supporting plate or bracket 34 secured to and extending horizontally from the press bed frame and at its outer end has the vertical projection 35 forming the guide surface 36 which inclines from its inner end towards the press bed frame. A switch tongue 37 is pivoted at its inner end on the bracket 34 as indicated at 38 and extends toward the guide projection 35. A suitable spring structure 39 engages the switch tongue and tends to hold it in an outer position indicated in Figure 5 to leave a passageway between the switch tongue and the press bed frame for travel of the roller 33.

The switch structure B comprises a supporting bracket 40 on which a switch tongue 41 ispivoted to extend laterally in a direction opposite to that of the switch tongue 37, a suitable spring 42 tending to hold the switch tongue 41 in inclined position with its ends against the press bed frame.

The intermediate switch structure C is con structed and arranged the same as the structure B and comprises a supporting bracket 43, the switch tongue 44, and the spring 45. When a full size sheet is to be printed the printing cylinder carriage will be shifted for cooperation of the roller 33 with the switch structure A and with the end switch structure B. For smaller size sheets the carriage need be shifted only for cooperation of the roller 33 with the intermediate switch structure C. Therefore for smaller sizes of forms to be printed the printing cylinder need not be given the full travel and considerable time and labor will be saved.

Describing now the operation, Figure l shows the carriage at the right end of its travel ready for printing movement toward the left, and Figure 2 shows the carriage at the other end of its travel after a printing operation. When the carriage was travelling to the right (Figure 1) the roller 33 was shifted inwardly by the switch mechanism A thereby swinging the arm 32, rotating the shaft 31, and swinging the arm 30 to cause the cam bar 12 to be shifted to the rear to the position shown in Figure 3 to cause the frames 10 and 10 to be swung down to bring the printing cylinder into printing position. The operator now feeds la sheet along the feed board 16 and by means of the crank handle 14 he rotates the cylinder and the carriage is shifted to the left while the cylinder impresses the sheet against the type or set up on the press bed. As lthe carriage travels to the left (Figure 1) the roller 33 engages against the rear side of the switch tongue 44 of the intermediate switch structure C and swings this tongue outwardly against the pull of its spring 45, and after the roller passes the switch point the switch tongue is returned to closed position by the spring 45 and if there is a short form or sheet in the press the operator will then reverse the crank 14 to shift the carriage in the opposite direction and during such reverse travel the roller will travel along the outer inclined side of th-e switch tongue 44 and the shaft 31 will be rotated to cause the cam bar 12 to be shifted forwardly so that the cam rollers 24 will come into engagement with the top side of the cam bar and the frames 10 and 10 will be swung upwardly to raise the printing cylinder to clear the type or lset up on the press so as not to smudge the ink which has been deposited on the type by the inking roll following the printing operation. The cylinder will remain in elevated position until the roller 33 has traveled through'the end switch structure A. VAs the roller enters this switchstructure outside of the switchtongue 37 it encounters the inclined surface 36 and is deflected inwardly to swing the arm 32 and rotate the shaft 3l to shift the cam bar 12 to its rear position (Figure 3) sov that the printing cylinder is lowered to its printing position and then as the carriage is again shifted toward the left (Figure l) the cylinder willA remain down during the printing operationV andvuntil it has passed the intermediate switch mechanism C or the end switch mechanism B and then upon reverse travel of the carriage the roller 33 is again deflected outwardly and the cam bar 12 shifted to cause elevation of the printing cylinder. When full size sheets are being printed the carriage is moved the entire distance for cooperation with the end switch structure B but, as before explained, for shorter sheets the carriage need be shifted only past the switch structure C. The click of the release switch tongue 44 against the press bedl by its spring 45 will ntify the operator when the switch mechanisin C has been passed. i

The switch structure A at the ink plate end of the press bed may be permanently secured in place as the carriage must always e be shifted th-e full distance to the inl( plate endV of the press. The other end 'switch B may be permanently secured in position and the intermediate switch C may be adapted'v to be adjustably secured to the press bed frame so that adjustment can be made cerresponding to the size of the forms or sheets to be printed. It is evident that instead or the two switch structures C and B only one could be used and made adjustable so as to be located for full travel of the carriage orv for shorter travel. Y

To facilitate the operation of the press a table structure 46 may be mounted on the carriage for supporting the stack of sheets to be printed. A plate or board 47 may also be provided to form an extension to the feed board 1G to facilitate feeding of sheets to the printing cylinder, and the board 47 may have an extension 48 forming av support on .which the printed sheets may be depos ited and stacked. y n

The'cylinder elevating or tripping means comprising the single cam bar v12 simplifies the construction and operation and assures simultaneous and uniform movement of the frames 10 and l0 to elevate or lower the printing cylinder supported thereby and the cylinder will be held accurately* in the proper v position for uniform' impression of sheets againstv the printing forms.y By means of the cam engagement of the cam bar with the cylinder supporting frame very little power is required to shift the cam bar. Furthermore by having the single cam bar only a single set of switch elements is necessary. 4

We have shown a practical and enicient embodiment of the various features of our invention-butwedo not desire to `be limited `to the exact detailsshown and described as changes and modifications may be made with out departing from the scope and principles of the invention as defined in theap pended claims. v l/Ve claim as follows: l

l. ln a printing press, the combination of tliepress bed, a printing carriage reciprocable thereon, a. printing vcylinderand supports on said carriage therefor, a cam bar extending transversely on said carriage and guided thereby, cani connections betweenv said bar and said cylinder supports adapted upon'lon-v and having cam-engagement with said bear-Y ing frames tov move said frames vertically when said barl is shifted longitudinally, and means controlling the operation of said bar.

3. In a printing press, the combination of theprinting bed, a carriage, a printing cylinder,.adjustable bearing frames on said carl Triagey for the ends ofV said cylinder, a cam bar shiftable transversely on said carriage, cain abutments on-said bearing frames engager-.ble by said cani bar to move said frames to raise or lower said cylinder relative to the press bed, and means for automatically controlling the sliiftof said cam bar.

4. ln a machine of the class described, a

printing bed, a carriage movable thereon, a

printing cylinder, bearing frames for the ends of said cylinder niovably supported on lsaid carriage, camvabutinents on said bearing frames,a cani bar parallel with the cylinder axis and guided by said carriage forreciprocation thereon for engagement with 4said cain.

5. vIn ainachine of theclass described,ilthe able supports on said carriage for the vcylinder ends having cam abutmeiits, a single cam bar shiftable on'said carriage for cooperation with said cani abutni'ents to moveV said sup-V ports to-raise or lower said cylinder relative tothe press bed, and cooperating means on said carriage and said press bed operable during travel of the carriage to `control thev shifting'of said cam bar.

6. ln a machine ofthe class described, the combination of a press bed, a carriage movcombination ofa pressbed, aV carriage for y travelling thereon, a printing cylinder, VInovable thereon and having side frames, a printing,` cylinder between said side frames having a supportingshaft, bearing frames for the ends of said shaft pivoted to said side frames and having cam abntments, a single Cam bar extending between and guided by said side frames to be shifted longitudinally for CO- operation with said Cam abntments to rock said bearing` trames tor elevating or lowering the Cylinder relative to the press bed, a vertical shaft ournalled on said carriage, a Connection between said shaft and Cam bar adapted upon rotation ot said shaft to shift said eam bar, an arm on said shaft having a guide extension, and guide members on said press bed for guiding said guide extension to cause swing of said arm and rotation of said shaft whereby to Cause shiiit of said cam bar and adjustment of said Cylinder.

7. In a printing press, the combination of a press bed, a Carriage thereon, a printing Cylinder havino a supporting,` shaft, vertieally movable bearing` frames on said Carriage for the ends of said shaft, oam abntments on said bearingv frames, a single Cani bar shiftabie on said Carriage parallel with the cylinder axis 'for Cooperating with said eam projections to move said bearing frames to adj nst said Cylinder relative to the press bed, transmission mechanism on said carriage connected at one end with said bar, and means on said press body in the path of the travelling carriage 'for cooperating with the other end of said transmission mechanism to canse operation thereof to shift said eam bar.

8. n a machine of the Class described, the combination of a press bed, a carriage or travelling thereon, a printing Cylinder, movable supports on said carriage for said printingl cylinder, ea-m projections on said snpports, a Cani bar extending parallel with said Cylinder and supported by said Carriage to be shifted `for cooperation with said eam projections to canse raising or lowering of said cylinder relative to the press bed, motion transmitting mechanism on said carriage connected with said bar, means on the press body at the ends of the Carriage travel tor cooperating` with said motion transmitting` means to cause operation thereof to shift said cam bar, and intermediate means on the press body for Cooperating with said motion transmitting means 'for shift of said oam bar.

ln testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names at Chicago, Cook County, illinois.

EDY/JARD O. VANDERCOOK. EAVH) D. VANDERCOOK. FREDERCK R. VANDERCOOK. 

